1. Claim of authority (timeshare purchase agent in this case) 2. Call to action (send me just a bit of money to sell your timeshare) 3. Sense of urgency (buyer will go with someone else if you don't act now)
You'd be surprised how often all three of these are present in a phishing attack of any variety.
Sense of urgency - limited time offer!
Social proof - everyone else is doing it!
Call to authority - #1 doctor recommended!
For scammers, the way I think about it… there is no choice but to be exceptional at the sales process and understanding what drives people, because there is no product. It doesn’t necessarily indicate someone who is good at sales is a scammer, but seeing these tactics always shifts me into a sceptical mode.
Another example I experienced was a door-to-door salesman who say your home has been identified by the government to be eligible for a heavily discounted air conditioner installation. Our company is authorized to provide that. There's limited funding available so buy quick to avoid missing out. So it ticks all your boxes but it wasn't a scam and I did buy it and it really was a great deal. BUT I didn't trust a word the salesman said. I checked with the government myself, found their company from the list of authorized installers, and called them back through that channel to order it. That's that part people keep getting wrong. They don't go through another channel to re-contact them.